The production of plastic in the world has increased exponentially over the last fifty years, and the amount of plastic waste has increased accordingly. Governments around the world are beginning to ban single-use plastics, while investing in the development of waste management facilities and promoting recycling practices. The use of recycled plastics in the production of asphalt mixtures has become widespread due to the economic and environmental benefits. To date, numerous studies have been conducted on the feasibility of blending various types of recycled plastic into hot mix asphalt (HMA). The results of these studies have shown that the addition of recycled plastic increases resistance to rutting, fatigue and moisture sensitivity while reducing susceptibility to cracking at low temperatures. The use of recycled plastic in asphalt mixtures should be further investigated, particularly with regard to compatibility with technologies for the production of warm mix asphalt (WMA). Technologies for the production of WMA are based on reducing the viscosity of bitumen using foaming techniques or additives. WMA is produced at a temperature that is about 20°C – 40 (60)°C lower than conventional HMA. Lower temperature of mixed and compacted WMA allowed reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, bringing numerous benefits: ecological, economic and structural. This review paper aims to present the current state of the art, the benefits and the challenges related to the application of recycled plastics in WMA.

recycled plastics; warm mix asphalt; reclaimed asphalt pavement; environmental benefits; greenhouse gas emissions; energy consumption